Shoe-fastener.



'0. P. TOPLIFP.

SHOE FASTENEB.. ArrLIo'ATIoN FILED 2.113.14, 190e.

arbor/nui iiiiiiiiiiiii Patented May 25, 1909.

Wifnaoaeo f bers nn sra'rns Parana Frio.

CHARLES P. TOPLIFF, OF TAGOMA, WASHINGTON.

SHOE-FASTENER.

To l all avlium "'zf may concern.'

Be 1t known that'I, CHARLES P. TorLirr, a citizenpof the UnitedStates,

fwhich the" following is a specification.

My rinvention relatesto shoe fasteners.

f The present invention relates to that class of shoe fasteners embodying hooks or memon the respective sides or edges of the front opening of the shoe, and a tongue carrying clasps which rare adapted to be Vsimultaneously/slid into engagement with or detached from the .hools'or members on the .shoe and it has for its object the provision of an improved andnovel fastener of this ycharacter which will be of neat appearance,

simple and durable construction, afford a properly tight and ysecure closure for the opening y,in the shoe rand enable the shoe to e be fastened or unfastened with great facility.

. The present invention aims to provide a device of the character'set forth which will possessnone of the defectsy of earlier devices of this character and with that end in view it provides a fastener which conforms to the shape ofthe foot, instead of forming a conspicuously. bulgingfor [protrudingy ridge which hasY heretoforebeen a common defect of such fasteners; provides vsimple and effective means for rholding the fastening tonguel in position; and affords a secure fastening of neat f and dressy appearance,

enabling the invention vr.to be used on ladies shoes as well as gentlemens foot wear.

Having theforegoing'objects in view, the invention kconsists ofthose features of construction and combinationsr and adaptations of parts sety forth fully hereinafter. The novel features of the invention being recited in the appendedclaims.V

In the accompanying drawings Figure l 1s aperspective view of a` ladies shoe provided with the invention, the fastening vtongue kbeing shown with surface ornamentation; Fig. 2', an enlarged detail view showing the hooksy on the adjacent edges of the f4, s, annale.

i shoe flapsg'Fig. 3, a rear view of the tongue and articulatedclasps carried thereby which are adapted torengage the hooks shown in Figs. 2, 5, and l1 or the rstuds shown in Figs. F ig.y l,"arh`orizontal section through one of theclasps of Fig. 3, engaged with the hooksof Figs, l8, 9, or 10. Fig. 5, a

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 25, i909.

r'Application led February 14, 1908. Serial No. 415,958.

view of the metal blank from which the continuous strips of hooks shown in Fig. 2 are formed; Fig. 6, a horizontal section showing the retainer for holding the tongue in position on the shoe; Fig. 7, a detail of one of the clasps; Fig. 8, a view like Fig. 2 but showing lacing studs or hooks; Fig. 9, a view like Fig. t but showing the lacing studs or hooks of Figs. 8 and 10 in full lines; Fig. 10, a detail of one of the lacing studs or hooks; and Fig. 11, a detail of a hook which can be usedin place of the continuous strip of hooks shown in Fig. 2 or the lacing studs or hooks of. Figs. 8, 9, and 10. y

The invention is shown in connection with a ladies shoe 1 but it is adapted to any foot wear. The shoe 1 has aps 2 Whose edges 3 are separated a short distances@ that in the operation of lacing or fastening the shoe these edges may be drawn toward each other to cause the shoe upper to properly conform to the foot.

Referring to Figs. 2V and 5, from a metal blank (Fig. 5) Yhooks are cut and rebent over the body fl, thereby providing the continuous, yet bendable, strips of hooks shown in Fig.2 which are secured to the flaps 2 adjacent the edges 3 in any sutiable or well. known manner.

Instead of using a continuous strip of hooks, a series of lacing hooks or studs 6 shown in Figs. 8 and 10 may be employed or a plurality of hooks 7 such as shown in Fig. l1 may be used.

There is provided a leather tongue 8V whose outer surface may be provided with any suitable ornamentation 9, if desired, said tongue having, by preference, a finger piece l0 at its upper end to facilitate its manipulation. The tongue 8 has secured to its back a sufficient number of metal clasps such as shown in Fig. 7, to suitably engage the hooks 5. The clasps, which are shown at 11, have a relatively fiat body 12, curved parts 13, straight rebent parts 14E, and lips .l5 Which lie substantially parallel to the body part 12. The rebent parts 14 are secured, preferably by rivets 16 passing through holes 17, to the tongue 8, the respective clasps 11 being positioned on the tongue with their edges located closely adjacent, thereby providing an articulated structure which is adapted to bend at every point to conform itself to the curvature of the front of the foot. By preference the flat thin lips adapted to engage the engaging lowermost clasp ll has an extension 18 l members aforesaid.

which is secured by rivets 19 to the tongue 8 so that the lower open part of the shoe is closed and air and water prevented from having access to the interior of the shoe thereat. The tongue carries on its upper end a metallic fastening section 2O secured by rivets 20a and has a free part provided w-ith a key hole slot 21 adapted to engage a stud 22 on the upper part of the shoe whereby the tongue is locked against rising or falling but may be readily detached and removed.

Assuming that the tongue and articulated clasp is detached, the user grasps the finger piece l0 and slips the uppermost clasp ll over the lowermost hooks 5, then pulling the tongue upwardly, in doing which the lips l5 of the clasps successively slide under and pass the hooks 5 as the tongue ascends until the tongue has been positioned, when it may be secured by the parts 2l and 22 and in such movement the edges 3 are drawn more or less together and a snug closing of the shoe opening is obtained.

ne free edge of the leather tongue 8 which constitutes a margin beyond the outer edges of the clasps 1l articulated on said tongue, together with the angle of the rebent parts H of the clasps causes the fastener to form a close inconspicuous joint with the flaps 2 of the shoe upper and on account of the general construction of the clasps and hooks, the fastener is a neat and unobtrusive one, devoid of any objectionable bulged or rigid appearance, thus overcoming a serious defect of earlier fastening devices of this general character.

Having thus described my invention, what l claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. In a shoe fastener', the combination with engaging members on the fiaps of the l shoe upper, of a tongue carrying a plurality of clasps composed of a body covered only on its outer faces by the tongue and having 2. In a shoe fastener, the combination with engaging members on the flaps of the shoe upper, of a tongue carrying a plurality of clasps composed of a body having flattened rebent parts provided with lips which are adapted to engage the engaging members aforesaid, the said body and rebent portions being covered on their outer faces only by said tongue, and the lips having no covering.

3. ln a shoe fastener, the combination with engaging members on the iaps of the shoe upper, of a tongue carrying a plurality of clasps composed of a body having flattened rebent parts disposed angularly to said body and terminating in lips which point toward each other and are disposed substantially parallel to the body and adapted to engage the engaging members aforesaid.

d. In a shoe fastener, the combination with the flaps of the shoe upper, of engaging members carried by said flaps, a flexible tongue, a plurality of clasps carried by said tongue, edge to edge and providing an articulated structure, said clasps being composed of a relatively flat body having` Vwings extending outwardly and angularly therefrom and free lips which are.

disposed substantially parallel thereto and adapted to engage the engaging members. 5. In a shoe fastener', the combination with the flaps of the shoe upper, of engaging devices carried thereby, a flexible tongue, and a plurality of clasps carried by the tongue and adapted to engage the engaging devices aforesaid, said tongue having a free margin extending laterally beyond the ends of the clasps adapted to conform to the shoe and constitute a joint therewith.

In testimony whereof, I hereunto affix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

CHARLES P. TOPLIFF. Titnesses Jas. C. STEVENS, Jas. MnNznis. 

